Cultural Representation of Gender Roles in Vertigo and Cape Fear Films
If we were to categorize the film 'Vertigo' as a genre, undoubtedly, it falls under the category of suspense or thriller. When we examine Hitchcock's cinema, it can be said that suspense isn't just a part of the narrative but almost forms its structure. It could be argued that the director is one of the most renowned representatives of classical narrative cinema. This recognition has, to some extent, supported the creation of clichés and the formation of the suspense genre in film history. Of course, before Hitchcock, there were films in the suspense genre. However, in terms of recognition or adept usage of the genre, the director can be considered the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of suspense.
- After defining 'Vertigo' as a genre, let's decipher the director's mindset through the roles of men and women.
John loses his colleague in a conflict, which subsequently returns to haunt him as a mark of guilt. As a consequence, he is compelled to quit his job. This opening scene, which shapes the film, concludes with the man losing his job. This incident, driving the story forward, will focus on John seeking the authority he lost and attempting to re-establish the representation of masculinity. In the eyes of masculine societies, being employed is one of the man's principal responsibilities. The loss of a job signifies a deficiency in character. The perception of masculinity John lost will begin to reemerge through his encounters with the woman. Throughout the film, the woman will be used as a means to address or reconstruct the deficiency John lost.
The film harbors a mentality containing masculine ideology, offering a reflection of American society. This mindset entirely sidelines the woman and attributes the authority or validity of speech to the man. Representing American culture and lifestyle, John approaches the woman as a savior throughout the film. In the face of the woman's psychological troubles, he aims to establish the entirety—traditional family—by his stance and existence. During the woman's psychological journey, John seeks to obtain her as a savior figure, in other words, aims to regain the lost perception of masculinity. Here, the woman is pushed into the background and used as a means to an end. On the other hand, disregarding the woman's authority in the film, she collaborates and presents glorification of suicide to the audience in the film's conclusion. With the revelation of Gavin and Madeleine's collaboration in the film's last part, the film reflects the view that female suicide was deserved due to collaboration in an assertive tone.
Madeleine, in the film, accepted the murder of Gavin's wife for money and actively played a role in this process. The film, along with this example, conveys to the audience the notion that the woman is a malevolent entity. John's sole pursuit of regaining his lost honor in society and how the woman is viewed are showcased to the audience. Assessing classical narrative cinema as having a masculine structure and making such assertions can be stated regarding the film 'Vertigo' or other films. For instance, it could be said that the film 'Cape Fear,' directed by Martin Scorsese, was considerably influenced by the film 'Vertigo.' The color transitions at the beginning of 'Vertigo' are similarly present in 'Cape Fear.' Furthermore, concerning the subject matter, in 'Cape Fear,' there is also a character who is unstable and, in terms of the society's valued definition, cannot be a man. The character, attempting to sustain the concept of a family throughout the film, like John, strives to regain the perception of masculinity lost and aims to reconstruct the concept of family.
With the examples of 'Cape Fear' and 'Vertigo,' the mindset of these directors bears similarities. Both directors have established representations of women and men within a masculine structure. When we regard these two directors as the foremost representatives of classical cinema, the value they attribute to women and men aligns with the mentality of American society. These films intend to direct the audience's perspective towards women from a specific viewpoint through well-crafted scenarios. Succumbing to the powerful scenario, identifying with the characters created, that is, idolizing John as a role model, seems perilous for one's life. Although 'Vertigo' contains a well-constructed narrative, when viewed from the perspective we discussed, it appears excessively problematic and entrenched in a masculine structure.
